Tanzania’s electoral commission has cleared President Samia Suluhu Hassan to contest in the October election, barring opposition parties.

Ms Hassan and her running mate, Emmanuel Nchimbi, were cleared on Wednesday.

While Ms Hassan was cleared for reelection, the commission disqualified presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina of the Alliance for Change and Transparency, Tanzania’s second largest opposition party.

Before Wednesday, months ago in April, the commission disqualified leading opposition party CHADEMA  from contesting in the election because it failed to sign the electoral code of conduct as part of its call for electoral reforms.

This development further raise critisms of Ms Hassan per her repression of opposition and violation of human rights.

In a post on official X, the Tanzanian president welcomed INEC’s clearing her to contest in the October election. 

“I sincerely thank the members of our party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), who represented millions of our fellow members from every region of the country, for supporting me with the endorsement forms,” the president said.

Meanwhile, the opposition party has filed a lawsuit challenging the decision to bar its candidate Mr Mpina.

In a statement, Alliance for Change and Transparency, said it would challenge electoral body’s decision in the court (Main Registry Dodoma). 

The party said the electoral body’s decision was “contrary to the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Electoral Laws and the principles of fundamental civil and political rights”.

“The right to contest and elect leaders is a constitutional right that should not be denied on baseless pretexts,” the statement said.